I have been struggling with my weight loss and fitness journey since a long time now, almost two years. I reached my highest weight in 2016 when I decided that enough was enough. What I didn’t realize at that time was that dieting or hard core exercises were not the right way of dealing with this issue. When you gain a lot of weight, the most obvious reason for the gain is wrong lifestyle choices. So when you decide to lose weight, you should never go on a all or nothing spree. You have to accept your body as it is first to bring any positive changes in yourself.
It took me two years to lose 10 kilos. The two years may seem like a long time for many people but the important point is that the number on the weighing scale was not the only things that took so long. It was a change in the mindset that took time.
Everyone who is fat knows that it is not just the food that has led to this gain, rather it is not eating nutritious food and being active that led you to the high number on the scale. Focus on the foods that you can eat to feel better rather than the foods that give you temporary pleasure. It is easier said than done. The best way to see results is to START.
Some tips that helped me change my mindset:
1. Take baby steps. All your life you have been fat so understand that things won’t change overnight. It is okay to cheat sometimes as long as you compensate by eating well for the rest of the days. Even a 10 minute walk inside your house helps you regain your fitness levels.
2. Appreciate yourself. Loving yourself is the most important thing that will help you reach your goals. Focus on appreciating yourself even for small things. If you live a sedentary life then walking at home everyday for 10 minutes or having one less slice of pizza will also help. Appreciate your body for helping you achieve your goals.
3. Do something every day. You don’t have to go to the gym or do aerobics every day to see positive change in your body. When I started my journey, I used to walk only for 15 minutes every day and do some light cardio a few days in a week. It helped me lose a few kilos that further motivated me to do more. Know your body and its limits. You may not be as fit when you start but you will get there. Don’t punish yourself by over exercising. Be kind to yourself. The motto is to be active while eating nutrition filled meals.
4. One Scale at a time. There may be days when the weighing scale doesn’t move. You may lose inches and develop new muscle which may decrease the number of kilos you lose. Don’t get disheartened. The good news is that it is much more difficult to lose inches than it is to lose weight. The fact that you are losing the inches and gaining muscles is better than losing weight by crash dieting. So even if the weighing scale doesn’t move, don’t worry as long as your inch scale is moving and your is getting stronger.
There are many advices available online regaridng weight loss and diets. What has and is working for me is being patient, consistent and perseverant. The person who does not give up is the one who wins. It’s better to be a tortoise and win the race slowly and steadily than being a rabbit who ultimately gives up. Love yourself, avcept yourself and give your body time to show you the results. After all Rome was not built in a day too so why push yourself and get burnt out? Focus on becoming string and fit and not thin to fit in a dress.
